When the Cleveland Cavaliers drafted Anthony Bennett with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2013 draft, some laughed and some were disgusted. A wasted pick some labelled it, and it has proved true for the majority of the 2013-14 season as he’s struggled to do anything a basketball player should be able to do. But lately he has shown reasons to believe he might have been a worthy No. 1 pick after all.

He has gotten healthier, learned to rebound and even score, and he proved this in his last game by posting a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds, career-highs in both regards. This led to a third straight win and Mike Brown told ESPN: “We’re starting to see a little bit of what we see in practice and the reason why we drafted him.” He finished by saying: ”He’s a talented young man and he’s starting to come to life a little bit. He’s even better than what you saw tonight.”

The Cavaliers have stayed loyal to the man they believed so highly in, and they might reap the rewards of this faith. Too often in sports teams dump players as soon as possible, but they’ve shown so much faith in their rookie that it’d be a shame if he didn’t repay them in some way. If he carries on in this form, he’ll be okay. The guy who couldn’t get his fans approval is starting to get the attention of opposing fans, players and coaches, too.

With his injuries and bad form behind him it’s easy to see why Bennett is happy, and he said “It feels great. All the hard work I’ve put in with the players and coaching staff is paying off.” Everybody seems happy in Cleveland, including Bennett, but just how far can he and his team go this season?